


It Comes Back To You

by katebishoop



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drabble Collection, Eavesdropping, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, No spoilers for Season 3, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Relationship, Reunions, Sheith Month 2017, Stargazing, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-09 20:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 6,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11676777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katebishoop/pseuds/katebishoop
Summary: Sheith Month 2017. All canon verse. All pre-season 3.





	1. yes, sir

When Shiro opens his eyes, he’s sees a bright array of colors, but his eyes zero in on the red and white one, currently running towards him.

_ Keith _ .

Shiro willed himself forward, but it didn’t make much of a difference for how fast Keith was running. They collided, Keith’s armor chest plate thudding into his chest, but, fuck, Shiro didn’t care.    
  
Here was Keith, alive, they were back together again, he was here in his arms, his face pressed into his neck.

And then Keith pulled back, grabbed his arm, and threw him over his shoulder and onto the ground. Keith’s knee was pressed to his chest, his arm against his throat.

He could vaguely hear the others yelling at Keith - but that was worlds away.

Shiro only had eyes for Keith’s face - red and blotchy, tears forming in his eyes, angry and relieved at the same time.

“Don’t you ever,  _ ever _ ,” Keith ground out, and Shiro felt a tear drip down onto his face, “leave me like that again, or I swear to-”

“Yes sir,” Shiro said, a smile coming across his face. He couldn’t help it. It was silly, really. Keith looked confused, and fuck, it was adorable-

Shiro used his free arm to pull Keith’s face down to his, kissing him.

He’d wanted to do that for a while, and for a second he was afraid that he’d been misreading Keith - but then he responded, and the smile grew bigger on Shiro’s face.

“Oh god, you guys!” Someone said. “Get a room!”

“Get a room after we’ve all had a turn with Shiro!”

Keith shifted, and Shiro couldn’t see, but he pictured Keith flipping the team off.

They had waited too long for this.


	2. hades

It made sense to Keith that he and Shiro landed in hell.

Things had been looking up for them, so the universe put them back in their place. Their place which was, roughly five miles apart on this desolate wasteland, with Lions out of commission, some giant lizards, and an injured Shiro.

Keith ran out of the Black Lion and down to Shiro - _he wasn't moving he wasn't moving -_ and that's when Keith sees the glowing wound in Shiro's gut and his heart actually stops at the moment from the sight.

When Keith had found Shiro strapped to that table back at the table, he had a few scrapes, a few bumps, and bruises. And even though in that moment Shiro had come back from the dead, he didn't really look dead.

Now, Shiro looked like it was only a matter of time.

"Shiro!" Keith called out, collapsing to his knees at Shiro's side. "Shiro! Can you hear me?"

Keith placed two fingers to Shiro's neck - and when Shiro groaned in response, Keith almost cried out in relief.

"Shiro."

"Keith..." Shiro winced again as his eyes fluttered open, dazedly finding his. "You flew... you flew Black..."

"Yeah..." Keith gave Shiro a smile. "She let me pilot her to save you."

 Shiro's eyes at once seemed to be boring into him - like it was focusing intensely and unable to focus all at once. It was unnerving,  worrying - fuck, Shiro better not be hallucinating on top of all this.

"Come on, we need to get you inside." Keith said, wrapping his arms under Shiro's. "Can you stand? I just need you to until we get in Black."

Shiro winced, but nodded. It was a painful hobble back to Black, but with Shiro lying on the floor of the Lion now, it was a little better.

But they weren't out of this hell yet.


	3. scars

They hadn't told the team yet. There wasn't much time, with Kolivan there and them working on their plan to take Zarkon down. Keith was grateful for that. He didn't know really how to tell the others. But Kolivan had taken a pod back to the base to handle his men for now, and the ache of Keith's injuries finally got the better of him. "Hey, is something wrong with your arm?"

"Hey, is something wrong with your arm?" Hunk asked, and Keith froze. Everyone was looking at him now.

"I'm fine." Keith said. He felt Shiro's eyes on him the most, but he refused to look at any of them. "Wait,

"Wait, no." Lance said. "Red went berzerk back there and starting attacking their base! She only gets that when you're in danger. So spill."

"I said I'm _fine_ -"

"What Keith is trying to say," Shiro cut in, "is that we had to gain their trust somehow. Keith succeeded. We can tell you more about it after I patch him up, alright?"

Allura didn't look convinced. "You're trying to tell me that in order to earn the trust of these Galra, Keith almost had to die?"

"Like I said, we'll discuss this later."

Coran twirled his mustache. "Well the sooner the better then. I'll get a pod-"

"No pod." Keith blurted out. They'd find out he was part Galra, he couldn't-

"I know you haven't been in there yet Number Four, but they really are the best-"

Shiro placed a hand on Keith's good shoulder. "I think we'll just handle this ourselves, Coran. Most of the injuries are superficial. They won't take that long to heal naturally.

Shiro led him out of the room before anyone else could say anything, and Keith was forever grateful he had Shiro back.

\---

"You may need a healing pod for that shoulder injury," Shiro said. They were in his room, and Shiro had just finished patching up the rest of Keith's wounds. But Keith still felt raw like an open one.

"I..." Keith clenched his eyes closed. "I don't know how to tell them, Shiro."

Shiro hummed. "I don't think you turning out to have alien blood in you is the weirdest thing they've encountered."

Keith glared at him. Shiro chuckled for a moment, but quickly sobered up.

"Keith - I meant what I said back there." Shiro lifted Keith's chin to look him in the eyes. "Most of your injuries are superficial. This - your Galra ancestry is one of those things. It'll concern them for a second, but it'll heal quickly and won't matter anymore."

"We've all got scars, Keith." Shiro held up his other hand, his Galra one. "They don't define you. I should know."

Keith felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. Shiro's hand let go of his chin and slid back into the hair at the back of his neck. He'd do that back at the Garrison, before even, and it always helped calm Keith down even after all this time.

"I'll be right there with you when you tell them, when you're ready." Shiro said. "But sooner is probably better."

Keith closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

_Patience yields focus._

Keith opened his eyes. "Let's do this then."

 

 


	4. freedom

They decided to stay on Olkarion for another quintant. 

They had earned it after that battle - and denying Pidge the chance to learn more about their technology was just plain wrong. They all deserved some rest and relaxation. Hunk went to the food, Lance to the girls, and Shiro...

He went to Keith. 

Keith hadn't taken his Lion, but he had the Red Paladin walk away from the city and back to the forest.

When Keith finally came back into view, he was sitting on the ground against a tree, his helmet off, tossed beside him.

"I thought you'd might find me out here." Keith said, not even having looked at Shiro. His eyes were closed, basking in the little bits of sunlight that came through the leaves.

Shiro walked over and sat down right next to Keith, so close they were almost touching. "You always did prefer the quiet."

"It's peaceful out here," Keith said. His head tilted down. Shiro could see that he was looking at the ground now. "I lived in the desert for a year. I had all this open space. Being confined to the castle just feels like a prison sometimes."

Shiro leaned back against the tree. "I know exactly what you mean."

They sat in silence for a little while. If Shiro closed his eyes, it was almost like he could imagine being back on Earth. The warmth of the sun, the coolness of the shade. The sound of leaves and of birds chirping.

Of Keith, beside him.

It might be selfish for him to think this, but he's glad that Keith's out here with him. Keith's a constant, a grounding point - he's the only one out here that Shiro knew back on Earth, who knew Shiro before he was captured and forever changed by the Galra. 

Shiro felt free with him.

Shiro hesitated - just for a tick - before reaching his hand over and taking Keith's in his. Shiro's hearts racing; Keith turns to look at Shiro, but Shiro looks on straight ahead, waiting, _hoping_...

And Keith squeezes his hand.

And Shiro smiles.


	5. the shack

Keith had never had so many people in his little shack before. In fact, until tonight, no one else had ever stepped foot in it. He hadn't even had this much prolonged human interaction in months.

Keith felt claustrophobic in his own house. He wanted to go outside and drive far away. Be in the wide open desert, to be free and alone.

But lying on the couch, still unconscious, was Shiro.

After never giving up, after all the searching, after all the waiting - Shiro fell from the sky like a meteor. Keith could barely believe it when he first saw Shiro strapped to that table. It was jarring to see him in the shack, with that stark of white hair and that scar running across his far, and the metal arm. But Keith couldn't - wouldn't - look away. If he did, would Shiro just disappear as quickly as he had come back? Keith wouldn't be able to take it if that was the case. It had hurt to have Shiro go away to Kerberos, and when Shiro was announced dead, every second after felt like he himself was dying.

_Where were you, Shiro?_

Shiro groaned, his face scrunching up. Gently, Keith reached out to brush the white tuft of hair away from Shiro's sweaty forehead.

Shiro's eyes shot open at the touch - wide and fearful and unseeing - and a hand grabbed Keith's wrist.

Keith felt his heart leap in his throat. He heard the others behind him jump.

"Shiro - it's me. It's Keith." Keith said gently, that lump forming tighter in his throat. Shiro's eyes finally seemed like they were focusing on him. "You're safe. You're-" The lump constricted. "It's okay... You're home now."

 _Home_.

How many times had they talked about a home together? Those late nights on the Garrison roof on his Shiro's quarters. This was far from what either of them pictured. But the baseline was there: Shiro and Keith, together.

Shiro's grip slackened on Keith's hand. "Keith?" Shiro said. Keith felt the first tears prickling at his eyes at the sound of Shiro's voice, of Shiro saying Keith's name. "You're... is this real?"

"Yeah." Keith choked out. "I'm real, Takashi."

Shiro pulled Keith down, almost toppling him over, and embracing him.

Shiro didn't smell the same anymore, but he felt the same. The way his face found its place in the crook of Keith's neck after all this time, a missing piece sliding into place.

Keith really wished that they were alone together in the shack, no audience at all. He'd never have to let go. Never again.

Even with the audience, Keith didn't pull back. Shiro didn't either, not until someone cleared their throat behind them.


	6. haircut

"You're mullet is getting out of control, Mullet." Lance said, for the umpteenth time.

They were all in the lounge. Hunk had finally got their gaming system to connect to Atlean technology, and currently, he was battling Pidge out.

"Your hair definitely has been growing faster than the rest of ours has." Pidge commented. "It may be time for a haircut."

Next to him, Keith shifted uncomfortably, his arms crossing tighter across his chest.

That was one of the things that stuck out to Shiro when he first saw Keith after his escape. Keith had always been pretty rugged in his exterior, but his hair was definitely longer than Garrison regulations.

"It's not a mullet, Lance." Keith ground out. "Do you even know what that word means?"

"Yeah - it means really bad hair." Lance spat, rising in his seat. "Just look at it! It's like you hacked it with a knife- oh my god, you did didn't you." A wild grin bloomed on Lance's face. "Quiznak - did you use your _Galra_ knife?"

Keith leaned forward in a fighting stance. "I'll show you what I use my blade for-"

"That's _enough_. _"_ Shiro said, sternly enough to shut both of them up. He placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, and that seemed to relax him-

Oh.

Shiro's human hand made contact with Keith's hair at the nape of his neck.

 _Oh_.

It was really, _really_ soft. Shiro just wanted to card his fingers through Keith's hair, to hold him, to-

Shiro shook himself out of his daze when he realized that Keith had noticed what he was doing, the way his fingers were playing with the locks.

"You know." Shiro coughed, hoping his face didn't betray him. "I think his hair is just fine the way it is."


	7. garrison days

"You've known him a long time haven't you?" A voice said, sounding far away.

Shiro's limbs felt heavy; he couldn't move, couldn't open his eyes. 

The limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness, and for the life of him, he couldn't remember why.

"I've known him longer than I've known anyone else, yeah." A new voice- wait, Keith. The panic that had started to brew in him subsided. If Keith was speaking, that meant Shiro was with Keith. If he was with Keith, then he was safe.

"The others... they see him an idol or a legend or a teacher, and you can Coran see him as a soldier..." Keith paused for a moment. "But to me he's just always been Shiro."

Shiro's senses slowly started coming back. He could hear more clearly - Keith and Allura were at his bedside, but why? - and he could feel the aches in his body, the weight of his metal arm, and the presence of Keith's hand in his.

"Tell me more about him, please." Allura asked. "I do not know him very well, and like you said I do view you all... like that, and I'd like to change that."

It was quiet for a long time. So long, that Shiro thought that he may have drifted off to sleep again.

"He's not this perfect golden boy everyone thinks he is." Keith again, fondness in his voice. "He broke a lot of rules at the Garrison, he just never got caught, or talked his way out of it." Keith chuckled to himself. "Shiro being an officer wasn't even supposed to talk to me. But he always would. We'd sneak out a lot. We'd break more Garrison rules in one night than Lance did in his whole time there."

Shiro remembered. He remembered those nights, even the information that Keith didn't divulge. That them sneaking out was mostly just sneaking into his room. Staying up late, watching movies they snuck in and dreaming of flying through the stars...

It was a simpler time.

"The Garrison, you all mention it a lot." Allura said. "What is it?"

Keith hummed. "It's the training center for space exploration. Shiro and Pidge's family had gone there before being sent to Kerberos. The rest of us were cadets there."

"Lance says that you, uh, washed out?"

Keith coughed. "Yeah..." 

"You don't have to answer if you don't want, you're just the most skilled pilot of them I am a bit confused-"

"No, no, it's fine." Shiro still couldn't see, but he imagined Keith running a hand through his hair. "I... Shiro's the only friend I have- had, back then. When they said he died, that he failed the mission, that it was his fault..." Keith squeezed Shiro's hand, and fuck Shiro wished he could squeeze back. "Well. It didn't take long for me to snap at the wrong person."

Allura hummed. "I understand."

Keith chuckled, but it was empty. "What you saw back there before we found him... if you thought that was bad, you should have seen me back then."

"There's nothing to be ashamed about, Keith." Allura said. "You obviously care deeply for-"

"I'm not ashamed of anything." Keith said. "I told you I'd never give up on him. Just like he'd never give up on me. I don't care who knows."

When Keith squeezed his hand this time, Shiro squeezed back.


	8. first

It happened several times before the first time.

_"Be safe out there."_

The Garrison roof in the middle of the night. Coming sunrise, Shiro would be heading to pre-flight quarantine. They wouldn't see each other again for a year.

_"It's good to have you back."_

The desert just after sunrise. It's been over a year now, but Keith had never given up hope.

 _"If it wasn't for you, my life would have been a whole lot different."_  

A planet not unlike the desert, with miles between them and time running out. Shiro sounded despondent over the comms, and Keith wouldn't let Shiro give up on himself, when Shiro had never given up on Keith.

It happened several times before the first time. 

In little words, little glances, little touches. There was simultaneously not enough time and too much time. There was always something pulling them apart, there was always something that made Keith close himself off again.

When it happened the first time, Keith wasn't the one to say it.

_"I love you, Keith." Shiro said. "I know you may only see me as a brother, and I've accepted that. But if we don't make it out of here I just need you to know-"_

When _Keith_ said it for the first time, his tongue feels like Red. Wild and impulse and free and on fire. 

 _"I love you,_ Shiro. _" Keith said. "Not like a- I was scared. I love you. I always have."_

The first time it happened was just the first of many.


	9. memories

"Don't say that. Nothing's going to happen to you." Keith insisted. 

But Keith couldn't feel the pain radiating from Shiro's wound. Shiro could, he could feel it tearing right through him. 

Shiro's been on the edge of death for so long, always being pulled back at the last second. He's long overdue to die.

It's selfish of him to think this, but he's glad that he's not alone - that it's Keith who was with him.

"Do you remember the last time we had a campfire?" Shiro asked, trying to steer his thoughts away from the inevitable.

Keith looked at him with a wary expression. "Yeah... the hover bike ran out of juice at least 30 miles from anything."

Shiro nodded and then decided that even that amount of movement was too much for him. "And we had to wait until morning to get the thing charging up again."

They drifted into silence once more. Keith probably thought he was getting delirious. But Shiro felt the opposite like he could see clearly for the first time in a long time. He remembered the first time he met Keith - the younger boy was all bumps and bruises, sharp edges and an even sharper glare. He remembered the first time he saw Keith smile, the first time that Keith really opened up to him. Keith getting into the Garrison. All those late nights they had together.

He remembered saying goodbye, on the roof the night before he was being sent to pre-flight quarantine. 

He remembered waking up in the desert, of Keith's hand on his shoulder. He remembered Voltron, and the others, and Keith always being a constant by his side. He remembered Keith piloting the Black Lion.

He remembered Keith piloting the Black Lion.

Shiro didn't want to die. He didn't want to leave Keith like he knew so many others had. But you could only cheat death so many times.

At least this time, Shiro thought, Keith wouldn't be alone. He'd have a family to look out for him.

Shiro's eyes felt heavy, but he was determined to keep them open. He wanted the last thing he'd see to be Keith. He just wished that Keith would have been smiling.

And then he does smile, and there's this white light shining down from above them, and he feels it: _this is it_.

But then there's a hiss of a healing pod opening and all Shiro could think about was how many times was that now. Was how long could this go on. 

Keith's face though, in the crowd of others smiling down at him, told him all he needed to know.

As many times as it takes.

He'd do that for Keith.


	10. prosthetic

Shiro knew it made a lot of people uncomfortable.

He saw the way that Lance hesitated when they were first introduced. He's seen prisoners flinch away from the glow as he's freed them; he's had allies avoid him altogether. He kept forgetting to try to use his left hand, his non-dominant one. 

He can't blame them really. Sometimes he flinched when he ran the wrong hand through his hair.It never bothered Keith though.

It never bothered Keith though.

Sure, Keith glared at his arm sometimes, but he knew that was directed at those who took his arm from him.

Keith had always been an anomaly. He'd always been the exception the rule.

He'd go for Shiro's prosthetic: he'd hold that hand, touch that arm, gravitate towards that side. Keith had always been Shiro's right hand - more literally, now with Voltron - and it wasn't going to change now. 

"You don't have to do this, you know." Shiro said one night, already knowing the answer.

Keith snorted. He pulled Shiro's arm closer to him, holding onto it beneath the covers. "When have I ever done anything that I didn't want to do?"

Shiro knew it made a lot of people uncomfortable.

But to the person that mattered to Shiro most?

Not at all.


	11. peridot

Keith never got sick. He definitely should have, with all the shitholes he's lived in. But now he realizes there's probably something Galra-related with his immune system.

And now? That same system betrayed him.

They had landed on small moon and not for any real reason, really. They just needed to stretch their legs, get some shore leave.

It was beautiful, the moon. It looked pretty close to Earth, except all the colors were intensified. The water was electric blue, the rocks nearly black, and the peridot flowers-

Keith had stepped into a field of them and promptly threw up.

"Well." Pidge had said. "We know why there's no Galra here then."

He'd been inside for a varga now, decontaminated and sequestered in his room, but his stomach kept retching despite not having anything else in it.

"You don't have to stay here you know." Keith said to Shiro, who hadn't left his side once. "Go enjoy this fucking shit moon."

Shiro gave a small chuckle. "I rather make sure you were okay." 

The smile on Shiro's face made Keith feel warm, and he put his head back in the bucket. He felt Shiro's hands in his hair, pulling them away from his face.

"Hey, I think I have something to-" Keith felt a slight tug on his hair. Shiro had tied Keith's hair in a small ponytail at the back of his neck. "Better."

It was, technically. But Keith missed the feeling on Shiro's hands in his hair.

"You know, you don't look that bad with your hair pulled back." Shiro said. "You should maybe do it when you're not puking."

Keith put his head back in the bucket so Shiro couldn't see his blush or his dopey smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can someone please explain to me why a green gem is a prompt i dont understand


	12. free day [freefalling]

"Take my hand!"

The ship was crumbling around them. The bomb had set off too early, way too early. He had no idea where Pidge was, or Lance or Hunk, but he couldn't think about that right now when the problem of Shiro was standing right in front of him. Or rather, below him, holding precariously onto a pipe.

Shiro swung and took his hand. The metal weighed Keith down he felt like his arm was going to rip off.

"Keith." Shiro noticed, and that tone of voice only meant one thing.

"If you swing just a little bit, with the momentum I could-"

" _Keith_." Shiro's tone was sharper now, but no less sad. "Let go."

"No, I'm not-"

"You won't be able to pull me up." Shiro said. "Our jetpacks are shot- you need to let go."

"I'm not letting you go ever again." Keith said, holding onto Shiro's wrist tighter despite the pain rippling up his arm. "If you're going, I'm going."

Shiro's eyes widened. "No, Keith-"

But Keith had already slipped himself over the edge, and they were both falling. 

He heard Shiro yelling, but Keith just held onto him tight, his eyes spinning as he searched the walls.

Keith pulled out his bayard and slammed the sword into the wall, the jerk of it nearly dislocating his arm. He swung Shiro onto a ledge, and Keith still hung from his sword over the chasm. 

"Can your arm cut threw there?" Keith asked.

Shiro looked at Keith, stunned. Keith thought, with all the times that he's saved Shiro's ass, he really shouldn't be surprised anymore.

Shiro got to work, and made an opening. It led to a hallway, a bit on fire, but at least it was more ground to work with. 

With a look from Shiro, Keith swung away from the wall, pulling his bayard with him and landing into Shiro's arms.

"I told you I'd save you." Keith said, through the pain. His arm was probably fractured at this point.

Shiro smiled. "And yet, here I am, carrying you over the threshold."

"I'm serious, Shiro." Keith said, grabbing his face so Shiro would look at him. "Don't you dare ask me to leave you behind ever again."

If anyone else saw their position, they'd never here the end of it. Shiro holding Keith bridal style, Keith's hand on Shiro's face, being only a few inches apart-

Shiro gulped, and nodded. His eyes darted down to Keith's mouth for a moment, and Keith couldn't breathe-

And then he coughed from the smoke, and the two realized that maybe they should get off of this burning ship.

There was always an interruption, but even after being set down, Keith still felt the strong comfort where Shiro's arms had been.


	13. party

"So, this is where you've been hiding."  
  
Shiro turned to see Keith behind him. He had a glass of nunvill in his hand, but it looked like Keith hadn't drank any of it.  
  
"I haven't been hiding." Shiro said. "I'm doing a preminiter check."  
  
No matter how much Coran said they'd be fine, keeping the castle open for the Arusians right now just out him on edge.  
  
Keith snorted. "You've been working nonstop." Keith placed a hand in his shoulder, his voice sobering. "You should try to relax, I can take over for you if you're really worried about this."  
  
Shiro gave Keith a wry smile."Now whose trying to hide?"  
  
But Keith, as always, saw right through Shiro.  
  
Shiro sighed. "It's just so draining to be there and pretend that everything is fine."  
  
Keith nodded. "I get what you mean."  
  
"I'm surprised you were even in there." Shiro said. "You always hated parties."  
  
Keith rolled his eyes. "You were always the only person I knew there." Keith looked up at the stars, and even though home was definitely not in the sky above them, it felt like it. "And you'd always get swept away, Mr. Popular."  
  
Shiro remembered. He'd always tried to get Keith more integrated with others, make some friends besides Shiro, so he'd have someone when Shiro was in space. But Keith's a particular kind of person, and Shiro was the only match.  
  
"Well, you know people here now." Shiro said. "You've formed a giant robot lion man with them."  
  
"I was with Hunk for a bit." Keith said, defensive..  
  
Shiro held his hands up. "I believe you, but seriously, you don't have to stay out here with me. Go back and hang out with Hunk some more. It's pretty boring out here."  
  
Keith hummed. "I'd prefer you and boring to a party any day." He poured his drink out on the ground behind him. "That stuff tastes worst than anything on Earth."  
  
Shiro laughed. "Oh, and how would you know, Mr. Eightteen?"  
  
Keith elbowed him, but he had a fond look in his eyes.  
  
Yeah, Shiro would prefer just him and Keith over a party any day.  
  



	14. meteor shower

 Sendak was locked up, Lance and Shiro were in healing pods, and the others were getting to work on fixing the castle.

The only thing that Keith could really do right now was to keep watch even though there wasn't really anything to keep watch against. He was lying back on the stone walkway, arms supporting his head, one leg resting on the other, looking up at the sky.

He knew it was impossible, but still, Keith looked for the same constellations that had appeared over his desert shack.

His shack... The Garrison probably found it by now in their investigation of Shiro and the Blue Lion. Would they just ransack it, or would they burn all the evidence down? And his hoverbike was still at the mouth of the cave, now that he thought about it.

There was nothing he could do about it now though, or ever.

He had this gut feeling that he wasn't going to be seeing Earth again for a long, long time.

Keith's ears perked up as footsteps approached, and even though he was back in his civilian clothes that didn't mean he was unarmed, he had his knife-

"Woah, Keith. It's just me." Shiro said, his hands up in a defensive position.

Keith instantly relaxed and set the knife down at his side. "Aren't you supposed to be in a healing pod?"

Shiro laid down next to him, but Keith didn't lay back down yet. "Two vargas in there and it spit me right out." Shiro said. "Lance will still be a while though."

Keith thought of Lance, beaten and bruised in the blast, of his smile at Keith which could only mean he was delirious. "He'll pull through. We can't get rid of him that easily."

Shiro snorted, and pulled on Keith's jacket. Keith yelped as he tumbled backwards onto the ground, bumping into Shiro's shoulder.

They laid there in silence for a while, just watching the stars. It had got a bit chilly, but Shiro radiated warmth. In the moonlight his scar almost disappeared, and if Keith just pretended that his hair was black...

"Look!" Shiro said excitedly, and Keith whipped his head around so far that he felt his neck crack. "It's a meteor shower."

Keith hummed. "Are you sure that's not just more debris falling into the atmosphere?"

Shiro elbowed him. "Nope." He said, popping the P. "But I'm going to enjoy it anyway."

Keith kept his head to the sky this time, but he kept his eyes on Shiro. 

Keith was going to enjoy this too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM VERY BEHIND


	15. abstract

Shiro knew, in some abstract sense of it all, that Keith loved him.

_"You're like a brother to me."_

Whenever Shiro had his doubts, those words echoed in his head, a warning. But Shiro couldn't stop himself from falling in love with Keith because it was already happening by the time Shiro had realized it. To quote some ancient work, he was in the middle of it before he knew that he'd begun.

Shiro doesn't even know when it started. He looks back in his memory because surely he didn't feel this was before Kerberos. But he can only remember Keith with the feelings he has today. Maybe it was those rare times Shiro let himself think about Keith, about home, when he was in the arena. Maybe it was when Shiro woke up, and the first thing he saw in the morning sunlight peeking through the window was Keith's face above him, and he instantly knew that he was safe.

Maybe it was all of those things. It didn't matter when it started, just that it had started.

That Shiro was in love with Keith, and Shiro had no idea how Keith felt.

He felt like he was back in grade school when he'd been crushing on a classmate with golden hair. _Will you ask so-and-so if they like me back?_

He'd always been one of the few people who could read Keith. But he wasn't even perfect, he hadn't caught on to what Keith was feeling, in the weeks leading up to their meeting of the Blade of Marmora.

He certainly didn't know what Keith was feeling now.

_"You're like a brother to me."_

Or rather, he did, but he didn't want to accept that.

Still, he'd catch Keith glancing at him when he thought Shiro wouldn't notice. The way Keith burrowed his face in his shoulder when they hugged goodbye, his lips brushing Shiro's collar. Or how Keith always gravitated towards him, always by his side.

He did tell him that he wanted Keith to lead Voltron in his absence. He was Shiro's second. That's all it was.

Even going into this battle with Zarkon, Shiro doesn't feel as scared as he does about asking Keith. Of just telling him. 

But now, Keith was going on what Kolivan called a _suicide mission_. And there was nothing anyone - even Shiro - could say to change his mind. That's one of the reasons he loved Keith so much, his sheer determination, his undying desire to do what was right.

That settled something for Shiro. When this was over, and they beat Zarkon, he was going to run straight to the Red Lion, running straight up to Keith and taking him in his arms before he even got out of his chair. He'd figure out the rest after.

But first things first, they all needed to come back alive.


	16. bad idea

The second Keith's bedroom door opens he knows what's about to go down.

"I don't want to hear it, Shiro."

"I-" _I told you so._ Shiro meant to say. "It was a bad idea and you knew that, Keith. Just look at you!"

Ah, yes. How could Keith forget his black eye, or the cuts down his arm, or his broken leg which was held together by his sword and some tape.

"Yeah-"

"You broke your leg!" Shiro was so red and - god, it would be endearing if it weren't so funny. "Stop- stop _laughing_ , this is serious."

Keith shrugged. "Once they get the castle fixed, they'll throw me in a healing pod and I'll be good as new." It was pure coincidence that Keith's... accident... happened at the same time that the infirmary needed rebooting. "Just gotta deal with the pain for a little bit."

Shiro's eyes narrowed his hands on his hips. From his position standing over Keith, he'd never felt more scolded in his life. "So, you admit you're in pain then."

"My leg is broken, Shiro." Keith rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm in pain."

"Well," Shiro leaned back. "Just so you know, Hunk said it's going to take an extra quintant now. But since you don't want any help-"

"Oh, shut up and get over here." Keith said, trying to scoot over so Shiro could sit next to him on the bed. He winced doing so, a shot of pain firing up his leg.

Shiro sighed dramatically and flopped down next to Keith, putting his head on Keith's shoulder.

Keith's the one hurt, but Shiro's the one who needs comfort right now.

"You know, this wasn't even the worst idea I've had." Keith said, running a hand over the buzzed back of Shiro's hair. "Remember when-"

Shiro groaned, grabbing a fistful of Keith's shirt. "Do not remind me of how stupid, and reckless you can be, with little regard to your own life-"

Keith leaned down and kissed Shiro's hair as he continued to ramble on about Keith's death wish.

 


	17. past

 

It had taken months for Shiro to convince Keith to enlist in the Garrison. He tried to sell it the best he could: _you get to travel to new planets, far, far away! you get to be in the stars! the adrenaline rush is insane!_ But this kid, this young man who'd never stayed in a place for more than a few months, with endless problems with authority, wouldn't budge.

Shiro couldn't fathom why. It wasn't a money issue - he saw how Keith flew his hover bike, he'd knew he'd pass the entrance exams. He knew he was smart, he saw the books that Keith read, or how he fixed his bike, or calculated how much fuel was left. And yeah, he'd have to take orders, from a government agency no less, but Keith handled everyday encounters with authority just fine.

Shiro finally gave up on trying to convince him. He only talked about the Garrison in terms of what was happening to him, just bits and stories. Keith was even the first person Shiro had told that he got picked for the Kerberos mission for, which would be taking off in two years.

And one day Keith didn't show up to their usual spot.

And the next time he saw Keith, he was in the new recruit line up at the Garrison.

He never told Shiro why he had changed his mind. Shiro only asked once, and got a shrug out of Keith: _you never shut up about the place_.

Keith excelled at the Garrison. He quickly became their top pilot, even better than Shiro. And despite how he saw that Keith was still pretty closed off from others, he saw that Keith had made the Garrison his home.

_"After getting booted from the Garrison, I was kinda... lost. Found myself drawn out to this place."_

That had been an immediate red flag, but with everything else going on, Shiro had to put those concerns aside.

_"Whatever, drop out."_

Lance had used that to insult that Keith more than once, and he always saw how Keith's shoulders tensed at it. 

Booted? Dropped out? Those were two very different things. 

Shiro didn't go immediately to Keith, he asked the others: _how was your time at the Garrison?_

Hunk would talk about throwing up, Pidge would talk about how they'd rub _pilot error_ in their faces, and Lance touted his accomplishments. They talked about each other, and the professors, but never once Keith.

Which, didn't surprise Shiro that much, considering Keith generally kept to himself. But it wasn't as if Keith was missing in their stories, he just wasn't there to be a part of them.

It constantly ate at Shiro, the question of what happened to Keith, what happened to the home that Keith had forged for himself in the Garrison, one of the only real homes he ever knew?

"I..." Keith was taken off guard by Shiro's question, clearly. The Garrison was probably the last thing that had been on Keith's mind, what with the fate of the universe on their shoulders. He wouldn't meet Shiro's eyes when he spoke. "There was nothing there for me anymore."

It took Shiro a long moment, but he finally understood why Keith had joined the Garrison.

It only made him feel worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND all caught up


	18. past

Shiro's old clothes are all bit taut against his skin. He's not as lean as he used to be. For every scar that's been ripped into him, he's got a bit of muscle building it back up. 

Getting dressed felt strange. Using an actual toilet felt strange. Walking, just walking out to a little hill in front of this... shack, felt strange. A stranger in his own body.

A stranger to Keith.

Shiro had caught sight of the photos when Keith showed him to the bathroom. He thought he recognized the person in the photos, and then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. No, he did not recognize the person in the photo, arms around Keith.

When he first woke up he thought all this was a dream; some sick twisted illusion of Zarkon's witch. He wasn't in some shack on Earth with Keith, but back in his cell. But Keith's touch convinced him otherwise. No illusion sent to torture him had ever felt like that before.

Keith was real, exactly how he remembered: a worried crease between his brows, dark almost purple eyes, unruly hair, all fire. That didn't mean Shiro felt real. His arm wasn't real. His body didn't feel real. The person in the photos, with sunkissed skin with no scars and a mop of black hair, did not feel real.

The desert air is brisk but warm against his skin, against his too-tight clothes. There's nothing really out there except for what looks like a wind farm in one direction, and rocks in the other. But this vast expanse of orange is a welcoming change from the dark, cramped purple that has been suffocating him for over a year.

Shiro heard footsteps behind him and tensed, but then a hand - Keith's hand - rested on his shoulder and that tension melted away.

"It's good to have you back." Keith said. 

_Am I back?_

But that's not what comes out of Shiro's mouth. 

"It's good to be back." He said instead.

Having Keith back was good, but Shiro didn't feel like he was back at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i s2fg i will have them all up before the end of the month god dammit
> 
> edit: i failed i gave up
> 
> edit 2: wow i realized that like... i did day 17 twice on accident... whoops


End file.
